The Capitol's Tribute

Finnick led me past all the chariots, earning me significantly more glares from the tributes. Was Finnick trying to paint a target on me back? He rushed me behind a door that led us into a private bathroom and quickly locked the door behind us so we wouldn’t be disturbed.

The bathroom was large and extravagant like most things in the Capitol. Colored glass covered the floor and walls. A large mirror covered one wall and all kinds of powder and perfume lined a marble counter adjacent to the mirror. The toilet sparkled cleanly in the dim light. Nothing was ever dirty in the Capitol.

“You’re going to murder me.” I said bluntly. “Get me out of the way so your tributes can have all the glory? Good plan.”

Finnick snorted, rolling his eyes as he jumped up on the make up counter. He glanced at his beautiful image for a moment and turned his lazy gaze back toward me.

“And what kind of precedent would I be establishing by murdering a tribute myself? The Capitol would be very angry at their favorite victor. They prefer to watch all the tributes die in a bloody fantastic mess, not picked off before they reach the arena.” Finnick shrugged. “No, I’m not here to murder you, Rix. I want to know if you’ve thought more about what I asked you.”

What he had asked me? I was puzzled for a moment before I remembered he wanted me to team up with his careers.

“Not gonna happen, Finn. Sorry.” I shook me head, leaning against the glass wall. At his disappointed glance I went on. “Honestly, Finn, if you were an untrained outer lying district tribute, would you foolishly team up with careers with no hope of defending yourself if they turned? Think about what you’re asking me to do here.”

Finnick rubbed his face tiredly. “I’m just trying to do something your not.”

“And what’s that?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“Save you!” He growled, standing up. “I can see it in your eyes! I’ve seen that look before in tributes. The look of failure, of surrender, before you’ve even started! You can’t give up that easily, Rixa!”

I bit my lip, staring at my friend. I could see that this was taking its toll on Finnick. He wasn’t used to not getting his way. “It’s not your choice, Finn.” I said quietly.

He shook his head angrily, his green eyes narrowed dangerously. His express was a bit mad. “I’m not letting you go that easily! You can’t do this, not to me! Not when I have so little to get myself out of bed every morning! What am I supposed to do when you’re gone? Wake up and venture the Capitol without you by my side? Have sex with all my clients and not have you to help me through the day with your jokes and understanding? How could I go on living like that? You don’t know how it was before I met you. I was so close to losing it. But I had to go on, for my parents, for Annie. And I met you and things didn’t seem so bad. Here you were, just a child, desperate for money so her family could survive, to have a better life. You reminded me of myself and that’s why I let you in! That little girl with hope and dreams, what happened to that little girl, Rixa? What happened to you?” He begged, shaking me as if rattling my brain would make the information sit in my mind like he wanted it to.

“She grew up in a cruel world and had to make a choice between her brother’s life and her insignificant one.” I said defiantly. Finnick’s face softened in defeat. How easy had that been? Too easy.

“She still has a chance.” He whispered. I shook my head.

“I’ve made my decision.” I repeated. “But, if you love me like you say you do, you’ll help me.”

Finnick furrowed his brow, concentrating hard. “So, you won’t team up with my careers?”

I shook my head, annoyed. “No, Finnick.”

He placed his cool hands on my face, gazing unblinkingly into my black eyes. “Then you have to give them something to work with. Something to make you utterly irresistible.”

I looked at him confused, “What’s more irresistible than the Capitol’s tribute?” I asked perplexed.

“The Capitol’s tribute in love with a victor.”

It took a few moments for my brain to process this. “You want me to tell people we’re in love?”

Finnick looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the word. I was at loss for words. What was going on? Why would this be Finnick’s solution behind teaming with his careers?

Unless…

“Haymitch set you up to this, didn’t he?” For some reason, I was furious.

Finnick didn’t seem sorry. “If it helps save you, I don’t see the problem.”

“You don’t see a problem in us pretending to be madly in love, for television?” I grinded my teeth, “Well, I guess as long as it makes for great television, who could it hurt?” Finnick could practically feel the anger radiating off of me. He blinked, baffled by my outburst. I was close to tears again. How could Finnick not know what he was asking me to do? This was the very thing that had practically destroyed me last year.

“Oh, Rix,” He muttered as realization hit. “I didn’t mean—it wasn’t—I’m sorry. That was a dick move…”

“Yeah, it was.” I told him, backing up. “But, if it helps Brant, I’ll do it.”

I could tell that this was not the reason Finnick had agreed to do it. But as long as I was willing to do something, it put him at ease.

“Are you almost done in there?” An impatient voice yelled, knocking on the door. I peered over at Finnick, worried about being seen with him in such a compromising position when I remembered we were supposed to be madly in love. I grabbed his hand and barged open the door.

“Sorry,” I smiled sweetly to the shocked citizen. “We were just having sex. We’re done now.” And I stormed off with Finnick tagging along, unsure whether to scold me or laugh.

I led the way toward the room that had previously held all the tributes, their mentors, and prep teams. Now, it was eerily vacant. As soon as we were alone, I dropped Finnick’s hand and scampered my way to the elevator. Finnick was hot on my trail. I slammed my fist against the up button and it opened almost immediately.

I threw my body inside it and almost locked Finnick out. He stepped his foot in the way before the door could close. I pressed level twelve and he did the same with four and we stood, fuming together in silence.

“I’m doing this for you.” Finnick sighed, defeated. “You know that, right? I wasn’t trying to make this like Peeta and Katniss. I would never do that to you.”

“I know.” I said angrily. But, I could stay mad at him long. Finnick was just trying to help and I was pushing him away. “It just turned out that way.”

Finnick bounced the back of his head against the elevator wall. We stood with his head smacking against the wall being the only sound.

“Finn.” I said, telling him to stop. “I know you just want to help. I’m not mad at you.”

He glanced over at me, raising his blonde brow. “I’m not.” I reassured him, lifting the sides of my lips to prove it. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to be more considerate of your feelings. I get that this is harder on others than it is for me. I’ve accepted my fate but everyone else can’t respect my decision. Sorry if I seem short with you.” I sighed.

“You’re always short to me.” Finnick joked. “I mean with me…”

I lightly punched him in the chest as the elevator dinged. We had reached Finnick’s floor.

“I’ve been through this before.” Finnick said, “I should be more understanding even if I don’t agree.”

I smiled lightly, glad that he was slowly coming around. I didn’t want to spend my last days fighting with anyone. I wanted to be at peace with the world, as much as I could be.

“Thank you, Finn.”

His eyes began to water unexpected. “I’m going to miss you, Rix.”

I pulled him in for a hug, letting him burrow his face into my shoulder. “Please don’t cry, Finn. You know how uncomfortable it makes me.” I joked, repeating the same words I had when he dropped me off at the train.

I could feel his breath on my back as he chuckled, sniffling. “You could win this.”

I snorted, “Don’t patronize me.”

Finnick let out a shaky laugh and brushed aside a stray piece of hair. “I’m quite fond of you, Hart. You’re one of the good ones.”

“You, too, Odair, you, too.” I grinned, leaning into his chest again.

He stood back, straightening himself out. His eyes x-rayed me like this was the last time he’d ever see me. Today wasn’t, but that day was coming soon. Backing up out of the doorway, he saluted me. “See you around, Lover Girl.”

I tilted my head, saluting him back, “Right back atcha, Lover Boy.”

With that, the elevator closed. And I found myself alone again.